Dealing with drunk passengers
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Agraricus,
Of course it is legal to ask for somebodies passport when inflight as the Highest Authority onboard, the Legal representative of the Airline and highest authority of the State of Registration onboard
Passport details are even requested by the authorities before landing.
Of course it is legal to ask for somebodies passport when inflight as the Highest Authority onboard, the Legal representative of the Airline and highest authority of the State of Registration onboard
Passport details are even requested by the authorities before landing.
Flarepilot
Not sure about that, happened to me once where the CC informed me that the Cap'n' who watched me walk from the terminal to the top of the boarding steps was of the opinion that I was too drunk to travel. No I wasn't staggering or in anyway drunk ( I had two beers over the previous 2.5 hours). I asked why and was told that that was his opinion and that was that.
I was unshaven due to overnight travel, in shirtsleeves in winter due having returned from a very warm country, been away 3 months so fairly browned of, last on the flight due to the very helpful ground staff switching me to another flight at their instigation (I would assume the Cap'n would have been made aware of this) and this Cap'n decided to be somewhat precious for whatever reason.
Books and covers spring to mind.
Not sure about that, happened to me once where the CC informed me that the Cap'n' who watched me walk from the terminal to the top of the boarding steps was of the opinion that I was too drunk to travel. No I wasn't staggering or in anyway drunk ( I had two beers over the previous 2.5 hours). I asked why and was told that that was his opinion and that was that.
I was unshaven due to overnight travel, in shirtsleeves in winter due having returned from a very warm country, been away 3 months so fairly browned of, last on the flight due to the very helpful ground staff switching me to another flight at their instigation (I would assume the Cap'n would have been made aware of this) and this Cap'n decided to be somewhat precious for whatever reason.
Books and covers spring to mind.
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It is legal to ask for someone's passport details, and the crew have the legal right to demand them, but it is illegal to confiscate a passport. Furthermore, what do you do when the passenger refuses to show the passport? Apart from calling the police to the aircraft on arrival, who sometimes refuse to turn up in my experience...
The best thing is to prevent drunks' embarkation, but you still face the problem of people getting drunk during the flight, either from onboard or carry-on drink. Of course, if safety was really aviation's no.1 priority, rather than making piles of easy money at the cost of safety, then alcohol would be banned from airports and aircraft cabins entirely.
The best thing is to prevent drunks' embarkation, but you still face the problem of people getting drunk during the flight, either from onboard or carry-on drink. Of course, if safety was really aviation's no.1 priority, rather than making piles of easy money at the cost of safety, then alcohol would be banned from airports and aircraft cabins entirely.
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solar...and I once saw a guy sitting at the airport bar, drinking, due to board my flight
he later fell of his bar stool
he did not board.
I suppose you could have told the captain you would be willing to have a breathalyzer test by the local police to prove your point...but he acted in the best interest of all.
and if you want to be treated like a VIP, look like a VIP...if you want to be treated like a bum, look like a bum.
oh, and I would say 2 beers in 2.5 hours isn't exactly sober...
everyone must remember that the higher altitude (cabin alt) does increase the effect of booze
he later fell of his bar stool
he did not board.
I suppose you could have told the captain you would be willing to have a breathalyzer test by the local police to prove your point...but he acted in the best interest of all.
and if you want to be treated like a VIP, look like a VIP...if you want to be treated like a bum, look like a bum.
oh, and I would say 2 beers in 2.5 hours isn't exactly sober...
everyone must remember that the higher altitude (cabin alt) does increase the effect of booze
Hi flarepilot
Don't know what my situation has to do with the guy falling of his stool.
Hard not to look somewhat bumish after traveling overnight and due to the efforts of the efficient ground staff getting me on an earlier flight not having time to freshen up.
The two beers were from the overnight flight and if you reckon two is enough to ban people from flying then the airline business is in for a lean period.
What would be the point of insisting on a breathalyzer standing at the flight deck door with a plane load of pax looking up at you.
I returned to the lounge, the ground staff were annoyed, told me to wait in the bar which I did, had another couple of beers and got my scheduled flight. Does that make me an alcoholic?
In this instance the cap'n was incorrect.
Don't know what my situation has to do with the guy falling of his stool.
Hard not to look somewhat bumish after traveling overnight and due to the efforts of the efficient ground staff getting me on an earlier flight not having time to freshen up.
The two beers were from the overnight flight and if you reckon two is enough to ban people from flying then the airline business is in for a lean period.
What would be the point of insisting on a breathalyzer standing at the flight deck door with a plane load of pax looking up at you.
I returned to the lounge, the ground staff were annoyed, told me to wait in the bar which I did, had another couple of beers and got my scheduled flight. Does that make me an alcoholic?
In this instance the cap'n was incorrect.
Many years ago, flying an executive jet it was easy. The pilots on Oxygen and then wind the pressurisation up to around 12000 ft the drinks soon went to sleep and you cold then bring the pressurisation back to the 6000 foot level.
End result a peaceful I eventful flight and the passengers arrive unaware what has happened.
End result a peaceful I eventful flight and the passengers arrive unaware what has happened.
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Originally Posted by solar
I returned to the lounge, the ground staff were annoyed, told me to wait in the bar which I did, had another couple of beers and got my scheduled flight. Does that make me an alcoholic?
Flarepilot
Seems your missing the point somewhat, nobody said I was drunk, the cap'n stated that he thought I was unfit to fly. I assume he based this on several misleading factors.
One: I was the last person out to the flight due to the check in staff from this airline asking if I wanted to travel on their earlier flight instead of waiting, after checking my ticket was transferable and that I had no checked through baggage they spoke on a handheld (presumably to the aircraft) and then let me board.
Two: I had been traveling overnight and in your words looked like a bum though I didn't set out to look like one and how you know what I looked like is another subject.
Three: I was wearing only a tee shirt (decent one I might say) in winter as this is they way I travel 90% of the time as I cannot abide coats and jumpers.
As I mentioned before if cap'ns all decide to ban people that don't in their eyes look correct there will be substantially few people on the airlines.
flyboyike
Sorry for your upbringing but to state that I'm an alcoholic cos I have a couple of beers waiting on a flight puts me in some esteemed company wouldn't you say.
Seems your missing the point somewhat, nobody said I was drunk, the cap'n stated that he thought I was unfit to fly. I assume he based this on several misleading factors.
One: I was the last person out to the flight due to the check in staff from this airline asking if I wanted to travel on their earlier flight instead of waiting, after checking my ticket was transferable and that I had no checked through baggage they spoke on a handheld (presumably to the aircraft) and then let me board.
Two: I had been traveling overnight and in your words looked like a bum though I didn't set out to look like one and how you know what I looked like is another subject.
Three: I was wearing only a tee shirt (decent one I might say) in winter as this is they way I travel 90% of the time as I cannot abide coats and jumpers.
As I mentioned before if cap'ns all decide to ban people that don't in their eyes look correct there will be substantially few people on the airlines.
flyboyike
Sorry for your upbringing but to state that I'm an alcoholic cos I have a couple of beers waiting on a flight puts me in some esteemed company wouldn't you say.
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solar
please see your own post number : 63
your words: happened to me once where the CC informed me that the Cap'n' who watched me walk from the terminal to the top of the boarding steps was of the opinion that I was too drunk to travel.
now, you are saying no one said you were drunk
hmmmmmmm.
please see your own post number : 63
your words: happened to me once where the CC informed me that the Cap'n' who watched me walk from the terminal to the top of the boarding steps was of the opinion that I was too drunk to travel.
now, you are saying no one said you were drunk
hmmmmmmm.
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I always tell my favorite bartenders for over a decade at our hangout Tiki bar to tell me if he feels I am needing a cab for my 3 mile ride back home. I just said call me a cab because if you think I am not safe to drive why would I question it because I was the guy drinking so how could I tell if I reached a certain level. He would know better than I even though I try to be careful to keep my 60+ years of no DUI's intact.
I don't know why this captain felt he was unfit to fly but on some connections requiring hours of waiting at the bar is usually where we spend our time and we try to pace our drinking but it is pretty boring to just sit at the departure gate for hours. No one has ever questioned us in decades of flying if we had been drinking.
One of our checkairmen on our previous airline was so drunk they needed a wheelchair to get him to the flight and he made it. Not saying it was good judgement but he got on as a passenger.
I don't know why this captain felt he was unfit to fly but on some connections requiring hours of waiting at the bar is usually where we spend our time and we try to pace our drinking but it is pretty boring to just sit at the departure gate for hours. No one has ever questioned us in decades of flying if we had been drinking.
One of our checkairmen on our previous airline was so drunk they needed a wheelchair to get him to the flight and he made it. Not saying it was good judgement but he got on as a passenger.
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Checkairmen
...One of our checkairmen on our previous airline was so drunk they needed a wheelchair to get him to the flight and he made it. Not saying it was good judgement but he got on as a passenger....
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If you give the passport back then by definition you haven't confiscated it...there nothing wrong with sending the No1 back saying "the captain would like to see your passport". If they don't hand it over you've lost nothing (though I've never had one refuse yet) and better that than let the stag do/drunk/drugged/angry situation get out of hand-you also have a legal duty to maintain order on board.
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Of course, it is allowed to ask for the passport of any passenger as Commander.
You are the highest authority onboard, AND the legal representative of state of registration.
However, you can not confiscate the passport. You obviously do need to hand over the passport to the authorities or passenger after the flight.
You are the highest authority onboard, AND the legal representative of state of registration.
However, you can not confiscate the passport. You obviously do need to hand over the passport to the authorities or passenger after the flight.
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flarepilot, quit posting about things you don't know anything about. You sound like a teetotaler. The worst sort of holier than though fact-free ignoramus.
Alcohol does about the same thing to you regardless of altitude. I say this as someone who has consumed a lot of beer well over your cabin altitude. I lived above your cabin altitude for a year; alas I was unable to become drunk any easier than I've been able to elsewhere.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/02/health/02real.html
Further, 2 beers in the better part of 3 hours does not make an adult male drunk. Even if its two really tasty locally brewed beers. It might make operating machinery unwise if you are smaller or the beers are on the strong side. Should be just fine for riding aeroplanes.
Alcohol does about the same thing to you regardless of altitude. I say this as someone who has consumed a lot of beer well over your cabin altitude. I lived above your cabin altitude for a year; alas I was unable to become drunk any easier than I've been able to elsewhere.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/02/health/02real.html
Further, 2 beers in the better part of 3 hours does not make an adult male drunk. Even if its two really tasty locally brewed beers. It might make operating machinery unwise if you are smaller or the beers are on the strong side. Should be just fine for riding aeroplanes.
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Captaintcas
This may well be true, but it doesn't give you authority to do anything you wish, you still have to comply with the laws of your state of registration.
You are the highest authority onboard, AND the legal representative of state of registration.
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skiingman
you are right, I don't personally know about drinking! I don't drink, in my entire life I've had LESS than the = of 2 beers. And perhaps saying that it is easier to get drunk at ''altitude'' is an over simplification.
but I do know that I'm a pilot and the regulations are quite clear...if someone is intoxicated they are not to board.
I guess you are spending time in the great american west skiing and drinking...that gives you very little knowledge of anything except drinking and skiing.
when you can say your title is "captain" instead of "drunk", let me know.
you are right, I don't personally know about drinking! I don't drink, in my entire life I've had LESS than the = of 2 beers. And perhaps saying that it is easier to get drunk at ''altitude'' is an over simplification.
but I do know that I'm a pilot and the regulations are quite clear...if someone is intoxicated they are not to board.
I guess you are spending time in the great american west skiing and drinking...that gives you very little knowledge of anything except drinking and skiing.
when you can say your title is "captain" instead of "drunk", let me know.
Last edited by flarepilot; 15th Nov 2013 at 22:37.